UWinnipeg creates Media Centre for Public Policy and Knowledge Mobilization

New Centre will house EvidenceNetwork.ca, now in its seventh year

The University of Winnipeg has established the Media Centre for Public Policy and Knowledge Mobilization. The Centre will be a research hub that seeks to understand how policy-making decisions are influenced by media and how research institutions commit to knowledge mobilization.

“The debate around public policy is important to Canadians. An informed, non-partisan link between research and the mainstream media is key to enriching the public dialogue about policy issues,” said Dr. Shannon Sampert, who is the new Centre’s founding director and is also editor-in-chief of EvidenceNetwork.ca. “This is an important, under-explored area of study that can provide insights into ways to change current institutional behaviours that will benefit stakeholders.”

Dr. Shannon Sampert, photo by Winnipeg Free Press

“The new Media Centre for Public Policy and Knowledge Mobilization will enhance our ability to share important research with a broad audience and diverse groups of people. This generates meaningful dialogues that impact decisions made by government and industry — influencing the way people live,” said Dr. Annette Trimbee, President and Vice-Chancellor at The University of Winnipeg.”

The Centre will also house EvidenceNetwork.ca, which is celebrating its seventh year of working with academic experts to create original media content on important public policy issues for publication in the mainstream media. Every second day in Canada, EvidenceNetwork.ca publishes an original op-ed by an academic expert; three EvidenceNetwork.ca op-eds appear daily in a Canadian newspaper or on a media platform.

“Our evidence-based research is read by thousands of Canadians each day and plays an important role in pushing out the latest information on public policy. That’s knowledge mobilization in action,” said Sampert.

Advisory board members for the new Media Centre are Bob Cox, the Publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press and the Chairman of News Media Canada; Carolyn Shimmin, Patient and Public Engagement Lead at George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation; Laurie Monk, Manager, Lighthouses Program/Restorative Justice Program and Policy Analyst, Manitoba Justice; Jino Distasio, VP Research at The University of Winnipeg; Jared Wesley, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Alberta; and Malcolm Bird, Associate Chair, MPA Program University of Winnipeg.

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UWinnipeg is noted for academic excellence, Indigenous inclusion, environmental commitment, small class sizes, and campus diversity. UWinnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those taking non-traditional paths to university.

Dr. Shannon Sampert
Director of the Centre for Public Policy and Knowledge Mobilization
Editor-in-Chief, EvidenceNetwork.ca
Associate Professor, Political Science
The University of Winnipeg
T: 204.996.4283 | E: s.sampert@uwinnipeg.ca